Open letter to Legislator, Henglep AC

(Indulge me as I would take you down memory lane replete with historical imprints as people of your occupation are known to have selective memory or the lack of it. Merci!)

In what, undoubtedly, was a sweeping masterstroke flavoured with sloppy display of might, you guys have once again demonstrated that even into your third consecutive term, political maturity is still written in Greek for you guys. From the Robinhood saga through the 3 Bills and now with your escapist's approach in declaring Kangvai as Sub-Divisional Headquarters, this Congress-led government re-affirmed their lack of appraisal and application, the very reason for which the Gandhis and their clouts are doing a roundabout along the fringes of power corridor.

In March 2013, a congregation of public leaders in and around Khousabung constituted the Khousabung Area Development committee under the Chairmanship of Daniel Pamei. The main aim of this committee was to demand TD block as creation of new sub-division was around the corner. Gaining momentum, a joint sitting of the Thangting Area Chiefs Association (Part I & II) and Khousabung Area Development Committee was held at Gothol Inpi on the 28th September 2013. This joint sitting unanimously endorsed that Khousabung shall be the Sub-Divisional Headquarters for the Area. In between these two events, you convened a meeting of the chiefs of the area at your government residence in Lamphelpat on the 3rd August 2013. You have told the gathering that the new TD Block/Sub-Division should be as per the wishes of the people. More than 80 per cent of the Chiefs, when asked to voice their opinion on the issue, gave their consent for Khousabung as the divisional headquarters.

Later, when the State Cabinet decided to create five new sub-divisions on the 7th August 2014, the Thangting Sub-division was one of them. The subsequent Gazette notification issued by the State Revenue Department declared that Thangting Sub-Division would comprise of 125 villages inhabited by 27,730 denizens. It is as perplexing as immature on the State's part here that no mention of the headquarters for the new sub-division was made.Since no official declaration has been made regarding the headquarters for Thangting Sub-Division, the TACA convened a meeting at Phunchongjang (Wangthrok) on the 28th February 2015 wherein 100 chiefs signed as a consent to make Khousabung the new Sub-Divisional headquarters. It is also pertinent to mention here that while attending the Thangting Sub-Divisional Cultural Fest in April 2015, no lesser than the Deputy CM, Gaikhangam had declared that the sub-divisional headquarters will be as per the 'consent of the people.'Thanks to the powers that be, probably the only State Cabinet in the whole country that can post a Sub-Divisional Officer without Sub-Divisional headquarters, this whole process reeks of conspiracy and downright subjugation of people's democratic aspiration. Moreover, why was the Joint Committee Teddim so late in opposing the name Thangting Sub-Division, after almost one and half years since its creation? The events on and after 7th January 2016 were all avoidable but for bad politic. The so-called 'peace accord' signed on 21 January 2016 by three 'veterans' of Manipur politics on an A4 plain paper raised more questions than solutions.

Mind you, this is not about the 'can' or 'cannot' question since we all are wet between the ears as to what a mighty 'politician' in third world is capable of. But why the Judas-kiss at this stage? Why the façade that preceded the betrayal?

At times, you know, people of your ilk defy logic, relativity, gravity and everything under the sun. Within 8 km radius of a district headquarters, the constraint to set up another sub-divisional headquarters was felt. The cabinet woke up one fine Wednesday and Lo and behold- Kangvai Sub-Division was born (ala CS), after assigning; in all likelihood, zilch credit to the long democratic demand of us.

It must be admitted here that there is a racist side to this development (?). What of the long prayers of Aimol, Anal, Chiru, Gangte, Kom, Rongmei (Kabui),Thadou etc of the Thangting area (or Thangjing or Kangvai sub-division) who have made representations one after the other in the rightful hope of a democratic solution to this issue? Children of lesser god? Next 'election' should tell?